VertigoLeg 3: 2005, North America

Rotterdam pre-show - Europe live.

18 July 1997

Rotterdam pre-show - Europe live.

Rotterdam pre-show - Europe live. The first European show goes live on TV to the whole of Europe. No pressure.

Rotterdam and we are back to work. It never ceases to amaze me how easy it becomes to switch back and forth between work mode and play mode. After a week off everyone is much rested, but now we are back together again its like we never left. Same faces, same environment - stage, catering, dressing room, production office, trucks, buses, mix position out in the field. Except of course that we are thousands of miles from our last gig and in a different continent, but such things are of little real consequence when you're on a rock & roll tour.

The stage loaded in to the Feynoord Stadium in Rotterdam a couple of days ago. This is where we debuted the Zooropa tour, so it is very much home territory. Mr MacPhisto was born in the dressing room here. Not being a band to shy away from a high pressure challenge, U2 have opted to open the European tour with a live TV broadcast being fed to the whole of Europe. Consequently we are here with a whole pile of additional cameras, lights, mobile recording trucks, etc. Tonight was a full rehearsal run through, which was pretty uneventful. After the run through the band stayed to play 'Please' through a couple of times more, to shoot some close-ups which aren't possible during an actual show. There may be a video clip to be had out of this.

So tomorrow we start again, giving PopMart to the Dutch. This European leg will be a wild ride - shows here have such a different vibe to America. Its all so civilised in the U.S., with rows of seats and popcorn stands. The Euro crowd are nowhere near as organised and the resulting energy level is way higher. The only potential set back is the weather looks like it could be pretty awful. Not that this has ever held U2 back before now. Say a couple of prayers and remember Red Rocks.